Harem Music

[Lu Rounsaville]

Haremis the eighth studio album by English singer Sarah Brightman, released in the United States on 10 June 2003 through Angel Records.[2] The album continued the collaboration between Brightman and her longtime producer Frank Peterson.

Although it has an inclination towards her signature operatic performance, the album encompasses dance-oriented and uptempo styles in keeping with a celebratory motif. In contrast to the classical crossover music style that framed her previous releases, Harem showcases a wider range of genres, exploring World music-related styles, such as Arabic and Indian music.

Harem received generally positive reviews. The Arabian-flavoured album was commercially well received in certain territories. It became Brightman's first top 10 album ever in Japan and debuted in Canada at No. 7. It topped the US Top Classical Albums chart for seven consecutive weeks.[3] With Harem, Brightman became the only artist ever to have simultaneously held the number 1 spot in Billboard's Classical and Dance charts.[4]

Harem was produced by Brightman's longtime collaborator/producer Frank Peterson. Jaz Coleman (Killing Joke) created the orchestrations in sumptuous layers of instrumental sound both Eastern and Western. The album features orchestral musicians from as far apart as Prague and Cairo, as well as instrumentalists from all over the world. Also joining Brightman are acclaimed classical violin Nigel Kennedy and singer Kadim Al Sahir, as well as Natacha Atlas, Ofra Haza and Shweta Shetty.[5]

Brightman's first taste of desert life came when she was a little girl, a dancer at the Elmhurst Ballet School. Her parents took her to Northern Africa on holiday. "I believe it was Tunisia", Brightman remembered, "I also traveled to Marrakech when I was younger. I've always liked the idea of the outsider in these areas. It's why I like Paul Bowles. It's also why I called the album Harem. It means forbidden place if you translate it. It's in your imagination, but you don't really go there. You maybe don't want to go there, but it's a mystical place. It's ancient. People have journeyed there and come back changed".[6]

Sarah Brightman's official website describes the album as "heady and intoxicating" and "without doubt, the most expansive and cinematic of Sarah's albums yet". Brightman and producer Frank Peterson combined their contemporary and dance-oriented sensibilities with the exotic instrumentation and melodic phrases of bygone eras. Harem is part of Brightman's continued experimentation with concept albums. It explores World music-related styles, such as Arabic and Indian music. According to Jerry McCulley of Amazon.com, "Brightman steps into that pan-cultural hall of mirrors here, wedding her fascination with the music and rhythms of the 'forbidden places' (the title's Arabic meaning) of the Middle East to her own oft ethereal vocal charms and rock-solid sense of drama".[7] Jason Shawhan of Artist Direct said "the entire record is built around a Middle Eastern theme, and many instruments native to that region flow through the mix of baroque pop, crunch-opera, eurodisco, and passionate balladry".[8] The editorial review of Barnes & Noble states that "the disc dips into worldbeat territory while showcasing the multi-million-selling artist's haunting voice".[9]

Brightman takes on an active writing role in this album and is credited with writing or co-writing the lyrics and/or music to Harem, "It's A Beautiful Day", "Free", "The War Is Over Now" and "You Take My Breath Away".

"Harem" was released as the album's lead single. The original version was "Cano do Mar", a song first performed by Fado singer Amlia Rodrigues in 1955 and later popularised by Dulce Pontes. The Remixes EP was released on 4 November 2003.[14] It reached no. 1 on the US Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart.[15]"It's a Beautiful Day", the album's second international single, features an excerpt of "Un bel d vedremo", from Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly."What You Never Know" was released as the first single in Canada. The release (17 June 2003) included the French version "Tout ce que je sais".[16]The fourth and final overall single was "Free". It was released on 21 June 2004.[17][18] It ranked No. 3 on the US Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart.[19] "What A Wonderful World/Strangers in Paradise" was released as a double A-side single in East Asia.[20]

At the 2004 Arabian Music Awards, Sarah Brightman received the award for Best International Female Artist. Also, her song "The War Is Over" with Iraqui singer Kadim Al Sahir won the award for the Best Collaboration.[37]

Harem became Brightman's first top 10 album ever in Japan selling 17,952 copies at its peak position of No. 4.[38][39] It was certified Gold there after selling over 100,000 copies.In Canada, the album debuted at the top 10. It entered the chart at No. 7 selling 6,300 copies in the first week.[40] It remained inside the top 10 in the following week landing at #8.[41] It later achieved Gold status for shipments of over 50,000 copies. The album reached the no. 1 spot on Turkey's D&R international sales chart.[42] It topped the Billboard Top Classical Albums chart for seven consecutive weeks and it spent 105 weeks on the chart.[43] In the United States, the album underperformed expectations, with sales tracked by Nielsen SoundScan figuring at approximately 333,000, or about one-third the total sales of Brightman's previous studio album, La Luna.[44]

Procol HarumBeyond

the Pale PH on stage PH on record PH in print BtP features What's new Interact with BtP For sale Site search HomeProcurl HaremAnother bit of Procol cat-loreCathy Frumerman writes to BtP (October 2003):

Attached is a scan of a postcard from some people at the Cat Show at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

This cattery, according to owner Caroline Scott, is not even twenty years old. It was named for Procol Harum. Caroline does know a smidgen about the band being named for a cat, which she believes to have been a Devon Rex. That's another nice name for a band, isn't it? (Although Devon, perhaps, has too much of the retirement community feel to it?)

Although she and the cats are in NYC, they didn't even know about Procol's Bottom Line shows, nor about The Well's on Fire. I didn't get to learn anything else, since the object of the cat show (no doubt an expensive exercise to the exhibitors) is to sell kittens and retired champions; and Caroline's booth was suddenly getting very popular no doubt due to the appealing faces of these American Curls.

Caroline and partner Michael Tucker had a couple of larger group images of their American Curls on display on easel boards. Each had the Procurl Harem name boldly across the top. These were very eye-catching. At their booth they also had a mirror logo of the name. Of course, the cats themselves were the best part. They were lively, curious and very pretty!

"Was terrific meeting you at the MSG show and making the 'curlnection' to the band and our cattery name. We were listening to Whiter Shade of Pale and Conquistador on the radio 18 years ago while driving to a cat show, and knew the music made our heart sing ... just like the Curl kitties do. So magically the name Procurl harem instantly was a divine message.

"We think ... anyway ... it has a very nice connotation to it and encourages many people to talk about that time in their lives as well as just loving the music . It makes people remember those days and recall their favorite Harem songs too. We have had people stand by our show cages and actually sing the songs !! (Our show cages are decorated to the nines with plumes, sparkly gold beading to keep with the Harem theme, so it is a rare sight with both things going on).

"We love this name and it is our heritage now along with the band. We are both classics. If it weren't for the original Cornish Rex cat we wouldn't be having this conversation. Good luck to all out there that enjoy the music while playing with their wonderfully affectionate and heart grabbing American Curls ... they are a pair! The combination makes everyone feel good."

"Cano do Mar" (in English: "Song of the Sea") is a song in the fado tradition by Portuguese singer Amlia Rodrigues[1] initially recorded with the lyrics "Solido" (in English: "Solitude") for the soundtrack of the film "Les amants du Tage" also known by the English title The Lovers of Lisbon, and released as a single in 1954 by Columbia Records.[2] The song was written by Frederico de Brito and Ferrer Trindade.

"Cano do Mar" follows in the history of fado, closely tied to the port district of Lisbon with lyrics incorporating poetry often related to the sea.[3] On 27 November 2011, fado was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[4]

The song was covered by Portuguese singer Dulce Pontes.[5][6][7] Pontess version was featured in the 1996 movie Primal Fear,[8][9] starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton; it was also used as the title music in TV series Southland.[10] In Brazil, the same version was the theme of epic novela adaption of As Pupilas do Senhor Reitor by SBT in 1995.

Pontes first learned that her recording of "Cano do Mar" was in the film Primal Fear while in the theater, unexpectedly hearing her voice singing the song as part of the soundtrack. She was quoted in Billboard saying "At first I couldn't believe it. I thought I was dreaming. Later my record company told me the whole story, and now all I want is to say thanks to my American friends, especially Mr. Hoblit, for being so kind to me."[11]

"Harem" is a song by classical crossover artist Sarah Brightman, released on November 4, 2003 based on the music of "Cano do Mar".[17] It was the first single taken from her 2003 album of the same name. "Harem" ranked number 1 on the Billboard dance/club charts.[18][19]

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